Friday, December 5, 2014

Ten Thousand Immortals: Immortalizing the Persian Empire

Persian Immortals depicted during the 2,500 year celebration of the Persia.

The Persian Empire – the
largest empire of Asia in the ancient world. It spanned through three
continents. In Asia, Mesopotamia and Iran fell to their control. In Africa,
Egypt and its peripheries were under Persian rule. And in Europe, the Anatolian
plateau and parts of the Balkans were annexed by Persia. Behind this success
was the Persian Army and its elite standing force, the celebrated and renowned
– Ten Thousand Immortals.

The Ten Thousand Immortal
was feared and respected military unit of the Persian Empire. Its beginnings
dated back to the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, Cyrus the Great. They
became part of his military campaigns and contributed in forging the Persian
Empire. Even after the death of Cyrus the Great, they found themselves continue
to serve his successors, like Cambyses II. Under the command of Darius, the
Immortals fought in many campaigns, including Persian invasion of Egypt. When
Cambyses II died, an internal struggle for the throne ensued. With the support
of the Ten Thousand Immortals, Darius became King and became known as Darius
the Great. During the last two decades of Darius’ reign, Persia invaded Greece.
The Ten Thousand Immortals were sent to join the fight as well. But the most
famous and well-known action of Immortals during the course of war was when
they faced the three hundred Spartans of King Leonidas during the Battle of
Thermopylae. Records, however, about the battle did not tell if the Immortals
made the final assault against the Spartans. After the Greco-Persian War, the
Immortals continued as a military unit, however, details were scant. Immortals
were said continued to fight for Persia during the invasion of Alexander the
Great. They saw action in the Battle of Issus and Gaugamelal. They stand beside
Persian King Darius III until his eventual death. Many suspected that the Ten
Thousand Immortals seized to exist when Alexander took control of all Persia.

The Ten Thousand Immortals
had a peculiar name. In Old Persian, they were called Amrtaka or Amarata
meaning without death. Herodotus gave an explanation for the name. When a
member of the Immortals became sick, wounded, retired, or dead, there would be
an immediate replacement to keep the membership not lower or higher than ten
thousand. The name also gave it some curiosity and fear. The word immortal
itself gave an image of invincibility and brought some mystery to the unit.

The Ten Thousand Immortals
served as the Persian King’s personal standing army. Their quarter were in
Babylon and Persepolis. They served military and ceremonial function. They were
the personal bodyguards of the Persian King. Unlike the rest of the Persian
army made of conscripts or Satrap armies, the Ten Thousand Immortals were kept
as a standing army funded through the enormous wealth of the King. The Ten
Thousand Immortals were made up of several regiments of a thousand. According
to Herodotus, One regiment was considered special because their spears had a
golden apple of pomegranates in its end. This regiment of golden apples were
interpreted as the elite unit within the elite force. They said to have been
recruited from the Persian nobility. They served as archers and spearman. The
remaining 9,000 Immortals had their spears ending with a silver pomegranate.
Within the 9,000 Immortals, another 1,000 of them served as archer, spearmen,
and cavalry. While the rest of the 8,000 Immortals served as spearmen armed
with six foot long spears with shields.

Nothing much was known to
the specialty of the Immortals. Besides being made of Persians and funded to be
maintained as a standing army, only few were known about their uniqueness.
Perhaps, one books said, their training and tactics were different from the
rest of the Persian Army. It was also said also that the Immortals were given
the privileges to bring their concubines along with them during battle. In
addition, their food were more special than other because of their members coming
from the nobility.

The Ten Thousand Immortals
became a legacy of the Persian Empire. Their reputation continued to exist even
if the Empire they served had already fallen. Through their exploits and
battles, most important being the Battle of Thermopylae, the Immortals became a
stuff of legend through stories, games, and Hollywood. They became they brought
an impact for the image and the history of the great Persian Empire.